Petunia plant named ‘Duegpre’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Duegpre’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large bright red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEGPRE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Duegpre’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new semi-upright to trailing Petuniaplants with numerous unique and attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selectionof Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T06-0453-5, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybrida identified as code number T07-2704-3, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2010has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duegpre’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duegpre’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large bright red-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have lighter red-colored flowers        than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        have orange red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of thePetunia×hybrida ‘Sunremi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,803. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of thenew Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Sunremi’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous and larger than        plants of ‘Sunremi’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of ‘Sunremi’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia flowered earlier than plants of        ‘Sunremi’.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Sunremi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of‘Duegpre’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers during the summerin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial potted Petunia production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time threeweeks after planting and were 16 weeks old when the photograph anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Duegpre’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T06-0453-5, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T07-2704-3, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures of about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures of about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures of about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright to trailing            and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about            eight to ten lateral branches developing after pinching;            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 15 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144A to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering begins, leaves are alternate,            simple; after flowering begins, leaves are opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 5.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 146A; venation, close to 145A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation,            close to 144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.8 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 145A and 144B. Color, lower surface: Close            to 145A to 145B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about 25 to 30 open flowers and flower buds per plant;            flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,            plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to            seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.9 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 3.1 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 9.4 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 2.6 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 5.8 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 145A and 183B.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from            throat): About 2.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.8 cm. Petal            shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin:            Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled,            glabrous. Throat texture: Rippled, glabrous. Tube texture:            Rippled, pubescent. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper            surface: Close to 45B. Petal lobe, when opening, lower            surface: Close to 47C to 47D. Petal lobe, fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 45B; venation, close to 183A; color            becoming closer to 47D with development. Petal lobe, fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 47C; venation, close to            144A. Flower throat: Close to 166A; venation, close to 183A.            Flower tube: Close to 177A; venation, close to 144B to 144C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a            star-shaped calyx. Sepal length: About 2.5 cm. Sepal width:            About 5 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal apex: Rounded. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth. Color, immature and mature, upper surface: Close to            146A. Color, immature and mature, lower surface: Close to            146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close            to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to 155A.            Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther            color: Close to 165B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            Close to 159B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 2.3 cm. Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style            color: Close to 144C and 145D. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma            color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144B and 14A.            Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Duegpre’ asillustrated and described.